Donna has asked me to reopen this thread so she can relate some personal experiences she has had with this issue. I'll honor her request and leave the thread open for a few more days. I'll allow everyone one more comment. Please be respectful. Thanks.

To all: Since everyone is expounding on abortion and morality, I feel it's time for me to say something even though it may not hit the right target. Women in general have been abused, humiliated and coerce in different directions and in different times. In the Bible, Jesus was really the only one who would give a woman a second chance if she fell into sin. Remember the stoning he stopped? Well anyhow, men can always tell you who is the slut and who is morally right.... Right? I don't think so. So why judge the woman who has to get an abortion? Because it's the man's child also? He should have a right to say whether or not he wants this child? I don't know.

Maybe a lot of women who do get an abortion don't tell their partner or husband they are pregnant. Anyway, This is a free country and I was told to get an abortion for my third child who is my third daughter and was told there was a possibility that there might be something wrong with her. I took the aminocensis test and was told some news but nothing to worry about. I was on anti-depressives for three years before for post-partum depression. I took the chance and had her and she is beautiful and engaged last month to a fine man to get married in two years. I meant to say don't be coerce into having an abortion, if you don't want one. Sometimes, it's the man (doctor) who is the worry wart and doomsayer!! I Love her and would have missed out on so many special events in her life. She is a registered nurse now with premies! So God may want to give you a lemon (I love lemons) but you can make lemonaide out it. GET IT!!!

I said that this issue was not black and white. Yours was the best proof of that in so many ways. Thank you for sharing your joy and your pain....unlike most of teh rest of us, you have lived the issues, it is real for you....thank you again.... Barry

Elaine, thank you for both your courage and for sharing your story. You are the one person who can ardently state with certainty, what I was looking for when asking the women to comment. I have deep respect for you and hope your strength continues. Down Syndrome is not a sentence. Many of these children live extrodinary and productive lives and bring both joy and pride to their families.

Donna, I appreciate you getting Tony to give us a couple of more days. Terry has shifted the new postings to his old thread in the "Archives" under "Terrance Tuffy on Abortion". This current thread is one that, while perhaps not the most popular of subjects, has given us some open and honest opinions and even soul searching.

Tony, while seeing your position, at least this has been conducted on a civil and less abusive level than some of the other debates we've seen here.

Finally, the quote at the bottom of this particular page says a lot. From George Orwell, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others". Brings to mind the saying I remembered in responding to Terry, "All God's creatures, great and small".

__________________Bob Johnston
Even being good for nothing, makes you good at something!

... Terry has shifted the new postings to his old thread in the "Archives" under "Terrance Tuffy on Abortion"....

First, I am very grateful for the women who have come forward. Thank you so much for your perspective.

Terry, Stop playing games. Your membership in this board is very tenuous right now. I'm losing patience.

All, I really need to be more proactive in moderating this board. Not by choice I might add. I will leave this thread open for a day or 2 for anyone who wants to add their last comment. When this thread is closed, the subject will be closed - at least for now.

Donna: Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. Your parents, yourself and J had such a terrible decision to make. The three of you faced the challenge with dignity, strength, and much faith. Your daughter is truly a blessed gift from heaven. Abortion is a very complex issue which can be debated forever. It is a personal decision answerable to God alone.

I want to thank everyone for their kind comments regarding my thread on abortion. I wanted to show you all that abortion is definitely not a black and white issue. There are no easy answers. Bob, I want to thank you for calling me strong but I have always thought of my son as being strong. Every day he faces a world where most issues are over his head but he just keeps plugging along doing his best. Sometimes I think he is the lucky one. He is color blind in the truest sense of the word. He is not greedy nor is he materialistic. He takes time to "smell the roses". He is content with what he has. If we all were, there wouldn't be much crime or any wars. But that's not the "real" world.

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